Start to Write is a one-day writing course to kickstart your writing life.

On the terrace of Australia’s largest independent publisher, you’ll get the hands-on teaching you need to start writing, from acclaimed tutor and novelist Claire Corbett. You’ll be writing there and then, getting instant responses, experimenting with structure and techniques, plus tips on what to do next to start your writing life.

In this energising, fun and interactive course, you’ll learn how to create a daily journal for capturing ideas, enhancing productivity, and prioritising tasks. The aim is to reduce stress while increasing focus, organisation and playfulness. The course blends approaches from a number of sources on productivity and incorporates insights from brain research to harness what we know about motivation and concentration. The resulting approach is endlessly customisable. You can spend as little as five minutes a day on it. It is, in essence, a practical approach to mindfulness, with a focus on calm, creativity and clarifying priorities.

The day will include exercises, supporting information, tips, techniques, and pointers on where and how to find more information after the course has finished. The journal you end up with will give you an overview of your life, a forward-looking tool to generate ideas and complete projects, but also a review tool for learning lessons, and a record of your journey, as colourful and detailed as you want it to be.

Expected Learning OutcomesHow to begin: how to set up a daily journal to capture ideas, enrich creativity and prioritise tasksHow to continue: an understanding of how to use a range of journal techniques to achieve large goals such as writing a novel or finishing a degreeHow to take it further: understanding how and why an analogue journal complements digital tools and how to progress beyond the exercises and techniques offered during the course to continue learning and customising your journal.Participant Requirements
You will need to bring a blank journal, preferably about A5 size, no dates or days. The pages can be blank or lined but dotted is generally best (this will be explained on the day). You will also need to bring a pen or three (preferably at least black, blue and red) and a ruler. Coloured highlighter markers are very useful.

The journal can be as basic or as fancy as you wish: many consider the Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal to be the ultimate journal, or the Moleskine. These journals are beautiful, useful, and the perfect size but they are not cheap so do feel free to bring along whatever journal is best for you. This is a tool you will use every day for it to be effective, so if possible choose one that delights you without inhibiting your creativity.